


Holding On

by HippieGeekGirl



Series: Family of Choice [3]
Category: The A-Team (2010), The A-Team - All Media Types
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Future Fic, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Fic, M/M, Post-Canon, Pre-Canon, Truly massive amounts of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-20
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-04-27 06:40:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,834
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5037769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HippieGeekGirl/pseuds/HippieGeekGirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five moments of physical affection over the course of Face and Murdock's relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Holding On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [anemptymargin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/anemptymargin/gifts).



**2002**

It had been three weeks since the fiasco in Mexico and things had yet to get back to normal, or at least whatever counted as "normal" for Hannibal Smith's unorthodox team. Despite what the boss had assured them when they'd grabbed Murdock from the hospital, there were still a few details that needed to be worked out with his and BA's reinstatement. In the meantime, he'd been bunking with Face in temporary accommodations. Face wasn't sure, but he suspected that Hannibal hadn't wanted to leave Murdock alone, and he had to admit that he agreed.

The TV was on quietly when Face stepped out into the living room to find Murdock curled up on the couch. His bouts of insomnia were still severe, but he usually took care to not disturb his roommate too much. It didn't bother Face, whose anger at nearly being turned into human flambé by their new pilot had dissipated the instant they'd touched down safely on U.S. soil. Instead, he felt nothing but concern for the man he was quickly becoming fond of.

"Hey, buddy," he said quietly. "Mind if I join you?"

Murdock shrugged, the stillness of the moment unbroken as he scooted over to make room. The night's entertainment appeared to be an infomercial for acne medication, and Face easily tuned it out as he tentatively wrapped an arm around his friend's shoulder.

"You okay?"

"Yeah." Murdock nodded as he rested his head against Face's chest. "Just gets kinda noisy."

He didn't explain what he meant by that, and Face didn't ask him to. At some point he figured he'd feel awkward about being so close to someone he barely knew, but at the moment he couldn't remember the last time he'd felt so comfortable. Apparently Murdock felt the same way, as Face could feel the tension in his body easing.

"It's gonna be okay," he whispered, unsure if Murdock was even still awake. "Hannibal keeps his promises."

He thought he felt the other man relax more as he spoke, but he brushed the notion aside without much further consideration. Not sure where Murdock had hidden the remote control this time, he let the TV drone on as he closed his eyes.

**2007**

It had been a narrow escape.

The thought kept running through Face's head as he replayed the events of the mission in his mind. An order to locate a prisoner, followed by a plan that Hannibal insisted had only gone slightly wrong, a hectic firefight, and a wild chopper ride he'd been almost sure they wouldn't all walk away from.

Murdock nearly hadn't. He was pretty sure that was the part he was getting worked up over.

"It's just a bad sprain," the pilot repeated as the injury was patched up. "I've gotten hurt worse makin' breakfast. What's gotten into you?"

Face didn't have an answer to that question that he could share in front of a team of army medics, so he settled for crossing his arms and glaring at no one in particular. He knew damn well he was being irrational. They were trained for high-risk high-stakes missions and Murdock, despite his various quirks and vulnerabilities, was a Ranger through and through. It still hadn't stopped the sudden cold fear he'd felt when he'd seen Murdock's twisted leg and realized just how close they'd come to disaster this time. He turned back to Murdock, attempting to calm himself. "Looks like you're gonna be out of action for a while."

"Yeah." Murdock was still smiling somehow, and Face suspected it was only partially due to being very well-medicated. "Guess you'll have to nurse me back to health."

He snorted. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm not exactly Florence Nightingale here."

There was a trace of amusement in Murdock's quiet reply. "No, but you'll do."

Eventually Face had been able to take him home with a brace around his knee. He'd suggested that himself, knowing how Murdock often had a hard time keeping still. He really was playing nurse in a way, he realized as he helped him maneuver his way inside. Almost immediately once they were alone, he pulled his friend into his arms, letting most of the injured man's weight rest on him. "Don't ever do that again."

Murdock looked confused for a moment, but then seemed to come to some kind of understanding as he hugged Face tightly in return. "I'll try not to."

He figured that was as good a promise as he was likely to get.

**2010**

Face watched out the window of the hotwired SUV as the lights of other cars passed them by. They'd been driving long enough for morning to slip into afternoon, and then evening. All of them were still wearing the gear they'd escaped in, and he wondered with a heavy sigh just how often they'd have to retreat and leave everything behind.

 _Not everything_ , he reminded himself sternly as Murdock stirred in his arms. _You've still got what's really important._

Murdock was curled up against him, almost as if he was trying to make himself as small as possible. It was so uncharacteristic of him that it made Face nervous. He tucked a hand under his partner's dirty shirt, fingers tracing the warm skin of his back. Murdock seemed to take comfort in the touch, but he was still unnervingly still.

"Stay awake for me, okay buddy? Just a little longer." Face hadn't been there to see Murdock's role in his plan play out, but he'd  worn Kevlar enough to know how it felt when it got hit. A potential concussion wasn't something he was willing to take chances with.

"Hmm. Trying to."

"Good man." He pressed a kiss to the shaggy head tucked under his chin, trying to stop thinking about the many ways things could have gone wrong. He'd never been able to pinpoint exactly when his feelings for his best friend turned into something different. It was something about the way Murdock simply fit into his life as if he'd always been there. Spending six months separated from the closest thing he'd ever had to a family had thrown things into rather sharp focus.

_I could have had any man or woman in that place and all I wanted to do was hold you._

He'd told him that, shortly after they'd gotten him out of the hospital ( _again_ , he thought wryly.) Murdock had simply smiled and told him he felt the same. They hadn't been able to act on their feelings at the time, but Face was still inexpressibly grateful to be holding him now.

"Boss, can we stop yet?" The question was the first thing Murdock had said louder than a whisper since dusk had fallen.

"Soon."

The raw weariness in the short conversation was almost painful to hear. Exhaustion was taking its toll on them all. The only sound in the vehicle was the hip-hop radio station B.A. had found as they drove on into the night.

**2015**

Face was rudely awakened at far too early in the morning by a cold nose and a soft huff of breath on his face.

"Murdock."

"Hmm?"

"The dog is on the bed."

Murdock opened his eyes. "So she is."

The dog, a sweet but shy golden retriever mix named Sadie who they'd taken in shortly after getting pardoned, was currently pawing at the blanket next to him, looking at him with pleading brown eyes.

"Go on girl, you know you're not allowed up here."

"Can't she stay? You know she's quiet, and it'll be time to get up soon anyway."

He sighed. "If you only let her on the bed sometimes, it's gonna confuse her."

Murdock muttered a complaint under his breath, but took the dog by the collar and guided her back to her own bed on the floor. Almost immediately, those same brown eyes peered dolefully over the side of the mattress.

He sighed again as his resolve crumbled. "Okay. Fine. But she's staying on your side."

Murdock's only response was a grin as he patted the bed in invitation. "C'mere, Sadie-lady."

The retriever gave him a passing lick on the nose before curling into a tight ball of fuzz in his arms. She was close enough that Face could reach his arm over Murdock's shoulder and rest his hand on her head.

"Admit it, you like this."

"Just get some sleep."

**2017**

The clock read somewhere around 5:30 when Murdock woke up. It was still dark out and Face wouldn't be up for at least another hour or two, but he had a hard time falling back asleep once his brain decided it was time for the day to start.

Sitting up, he took advantage of the quiet to watch the man he'd spent the last fifteen years of his life beside. His face was a little more worn and his hair was starting to go grey, but there was a calm, peaceful look on his face that Murdock missed seeing when they were both awake.

Resigned to his early mental wake-up call, he'd gotten himself settled in the living room with a bowl of cereal and a mindless morning chat show when a small shadow  darkened the doorway. Their four-year-old son was standing there in his dinosaur jammies, holding a well-loved stuffed triceratops in front of him like a shield.

"Whatcha doing out of bed, buddy?"

The little boy hopped up on the sofa beside him, nestling against his side. "I dreamed something bad was chasing me."

Murdock turned off the TV, giving his son his full attention. Max had been making good progress in the months since they'd adopted him, but they were still trying to help him cope with the consequences of the neglect he'd been through before they found him. One of those unfortunate consequences was the tendency for his anxiety to manifest itself when he was alone at night.

"You wanna go find Daddy?"

"Okay." He was already starting to nod off on Murdock's shoulder as he carried him to their room and tucked him into the bed. As Face opened his eyes, he silently mouthed 'bad dream' by way of explanation.

"You know, I distinctly remember a time when we were the only two people allowed in this bed."

His tone was lightly teasing, but as he settled back in, Murdock could see the soft expression in his eyes as he watched the sleepy child. It encompassed his fear and insecurity about his own ability to be a parent, as well as his determination to _not let this kid down_. Murdock still wasn't tired of seeing that look, and he hoped he never would be.

A soft, tired little voice briefly broke the silence. "I love you, Daddy."

It took a moment for Face to compose himself enough to reply. "Love you too, little man."

There was no more sleep to be had for the two of them that morning, but neither of them minded.


End file.
